Politics and Reform in the Gilded Age

I. The Business of Politics

II. The Decline of Agriculture

III. The Populist Revolt

Key Terms• Spoils System• Sherman Anti-Trust Act (1890)• United States v. E. C. Knight Company(1895)• Grover Cleveland• Billion Dollar Congress (1889-1891)• Protective Tariffs• Farmers Alliance• Populists• William Jennings Bryan

I. The Business of Politics

A. Politics as Business

B. Attempts at Reform

C. The Billion Dollar Congress

Thomas Nast, November, 1881 – Political Balance

Thomas Nast, 1884

Thomas Nast, 1872

President Grant Receiving Office Seekers

Sherman Anti-Trust Act of 1890“every contract, combination in the form of trust or trust or otherwise, or conspiracy, in restraint of trade or commerce among the several states, or with foreign nations, is hereby declared illegal.”

United States v. E. C. Knight Company (1895)

Justice Stephen J. Field

“As the population and wealth increases -- as the inequalities in the conditions of men become more and more marked and disturbing-- as . . . angry menaces against order find vent in the loud denunciations -- it becomes the imperative duty of the court to enforce with a firm hand every guarantee of the Constitution.”

Billion Dollar Congress, 1889-91

• Raised tariff rates, depressing income.

• Increased eligibility for Civil War pensions.

• Gave subsidies to steamship lines

• Passes pork barrel internal improvement bills.

II. The Decline of Agriculture

A. Unprofitably of Farming

B. Government Policies

Suez Canal Opening, 1869

Loading a Grain Steam in Milwaukee—Linking Midwest Farmers with the World

Fall of Crop Prices, 1872-1896

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Cents per pound or Bushel

Cotton Wheat Corn

18721896

Steam Tractor

Unprofitably of Farming, 1889

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Cost to produce a pound of Cotton Sale price of a Pound of Cotton

Government Policies

• Deflationary monetary policy.

• Protective tariff.

• Who do these policies help?

• Is this laissez-faire government?

III. The Populist Revolt

A. Farmers Alliance (1877)

B. The Populists

C. The Election of 1896

First Farmers Alliance meeting held in Texas, in 1877

Farmers Alliance Platform

• A increase in the amount of currency

• Free coinage of silver

• A federal income tax

• Reduction of tariff rates

• Direct election of senators

• Government ownership of railroads and telegraphs.

The PopulistsThis 1890 Populist delegate ribbon shows their interest in the silver issue with its silver lettering

Populist Efforts at Inclusion“Now the People's party says to these two men, 'You are kept apart that you may be separately fleeced of your earnings. You are made to hate each other because upon that hatred is rested the keystone of the arch of financial despotism which enslaves you both. You are deceived and blinded by that you may not see how this race antagonism perpetuates a monetary system which beggars both.”

William McKinley

1896 Republican candidate

William Jennings Bryan

1896 Democratic and Populist candidate

Fund Raising in 1896 Campaign3,500,000

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MckinleyBryan

Election of 1896

Election of 2000